Where to swim on Lake Ladoga. What are the prices for vacations? History of Staraya Ladoga

September 8th, 2014 , 05:49 pm

It’s funny to say, but before I had never reached the end of the Road of Life by railway. Yes, I’ve been by car and bus several times, although not as often as I would like (especially since at one time I even collaborated with one of the branches of the Road of Life Museum), but I never had a chance to travel by railway to those parts... This the annoying misunderstanding was corrected the day before, which I hasten to tell you about today!

From St. Petersburg, getting to the Road of Life is as easy as shelling pears; just take the train at the Finlyandsky Station, the final destination of which is the Ladoga Lake station, located a few hundred meters from the railway tracks. The travel time along this entire railway line will be almost an hour and a half, the fare will be 113 rubles. For students and schoolchildren - 54 rubles.

You will drive through forests, small villages, and pass the regional center of one of the largest and most economically profitable areas of the Leningrad region - Vsevolozhsk. There will be outside the window beautiful landscapes- picturesque swamps, birch and spruce forests, small rivers. I didn’t take pictures along the way, because sometimes trees grow very close to the paths, you can see behind them quite well, but at speed the camera’s focus would still only pick out these spreading branches. So go and see the Road of Life for yourself, it's worth it!

The Ladoga Lake station is located in the village of the same name and is the terminus on its branch of the Irinovsky direction of the Oktyabrskaya Railway. The station is located near the Osinovetsky Cape, and therefore the village of Lake Ladoga has another, unofficial, name - Osinovets.

The village has a very unusual station building:

On the platform farthest from the frame is the same train that my friend and I arrived on:

Near the station there is a waypost for the Road of Life, which are installed along its entire length both along the railway and along the A128 St. Petersburg - Morye highway. Near the pillar there is a rare steam locomotive, as far as I understand, these are the ones that ran along the Road of Life during the war:

And now the lake is visible. In the foreground is the same road St. Petersburg - Morye:

Do you see the cat?)

We approach the descent to the beach and see a very beautiful tree:

We walk around it and are speechless with delight!

Ladoga inspires, Ladoga delights, Ladoga impresses, Ladoga is real small world inside our planet! Once again I was convinced of this. Recently I was in Petrokrepost (a village named after Morozov, that is), Shlisselburg and the Oreshek fortress, now I’ve visited Lake Ladoga again, and the impressions don’t seem to fade!

Sitting on the shore of the lake on a sunny, warm day in early September, you simply cannot comprehend what happened here 70 years ago... It seems impossible all the horror that took place in places of this inhuman beauty, this self-confident harmony, this supreme silence ...

But let’s get back to the actual story; I’ll leave you the right to speculate on the above topic after reading the entire post.

Does anyone know what that thing is on the beach? Really for tents?

We went down to the water itself, the views there were excellent. I don’t think any comments are needed, see for yourself:

By the way, the water in the lake was warm, which made us happy. I think that with an insatiable desire and a knack for some, so to speak, coolness upon reaching the shore, some of you, dear readers, can even take a dip in Ladoga before it completely cools down)

But what saddened me... Yes, I think you saw everything yourself - a bunch of abandoned broken barbecues, garbage, broken bottles, dirt... Alas, our people do not take care of the treasure that they got for free, simply because they are here live...

Well, what’s also saddening is that a maximum of 100 meters of the coastline is open, the rest is blocked, so you won’t be able to take a thorough walk along the shore of the lake, alas:(

That’s why we left the beach and walked along the road, since it was impossible to walk along the water.

And we came to the Museum of the Road of Life. I did not collaborate with this department of his, so it was doubly interesting to get there. However, we stopped by the museum on the way back, but for now we continued along the route:

Nobody knows why such holes are made on the road? It was always interesting...

At home local residents almost all of them are very good)

And over there, behind one of them, the goal of our journey is already visible - the Osinovetsky lighthouse, famous in certain circles!

We walk another 100 meters, and it becomes almost perfectly visible:

The condition of the lighthouse in some places is not quite marketable, but it is no longer in use, and as a tourist attraction it is still good and authentic:

We walk along the street towards the coast in the hope of reaching an open space from which the lighthouse will be completely visible. Along the way, pay attention to interesting location clouds - it feels like there are mountains on the horizon:

And then a bummer befalls us: (Apparently, the entire area around the lighthouse has already been built up and blocked off with fences, we never managed to get to it: (It’s very, very unfortunate... The fact that the access to the lake is blocked is still okay, although , as far as I know, it is prohibited by law to do this... But I wanted to get to the lighthouse. Well, no, no, and so we saw it at least a little with our own eyes:

The same Route 145, we go back to the museum:

Here he is, in fact. A full ticket costs only 60 rubles, a discounted one costs a ridiculous 30. You will have to pay an additional 50 rubles for photography, but if you consider where the museum is located and assume how much money it lives on, this penny amount is not at all a pity. What I mean is that in many museums, on principle, I do not buy filming rights, considering this a violation of the rules for visiting cultural institutions. But here, I repeat, the case is somewhat different.

Inside there is an impressive collection of weapons from the times of the Great Patriotic War, models of equipment, maps, personal belongings and photographs of participants in the functioning of the Road of Life. There will also be a minimum of comments here, especially since most of the objects in the frame come with museum plaques:

For the first time in my life I saw him!

And through these binoculars you can look at the lake and the military weapons standing in the yard:

Apparently, the Krauts were quite surprised by the breakthrough of the Blockade and scurried as fast as they could if their belongings were found in huge quantities, in particular, untouched new uniforms.

A trip around Lake Ladoga is one of the most easily accessible and wonderful trips that you can organize on your own.

Lake Ladoga is the most large lake in Europe. 35 rivers flow into it, and there are also about 660 islands.

Our trip route is designed for three days. The purpose of the trip was to feel and enjoy nature, we stopped a lot at different lakes, walked through forests, our route reflected more specifically natural places. Of course, we visited several architectural places, but still they were not the main goal.

In order to better navigate, we used the maps.me map, I recommend it! This is the best offline map, which has helped us out more than once; it shows the main attractions, shops, places where you can stay overnight and their rating.

Day 1:

Lembolovskoye Lake- a lake on the Karelian Isthmus surrounded by picturesque forests and hills. Sandy beaches, many good approaches to the lake. Suitable for fishing and recreation with children.

Razdolinskoye Lake– located near the village of Sosnovo. There are convenient approaches to the water from the Priozerskoe highway from the west. The water is clean and transparent. Also suitable for fishing and relaxing with children.

Vuoksa River- the most large river Karelian Isthmus with fast rapids. The place is perfect for rafting and kayaking. Everything you need can be rented on site. Suitable for fishing, before our eyes a man caught five large trout, you can find places for tents and for families with children.

Korela Fortress— the Korela fortress museum is located in the city of Priozersk, Leningrad Region, not far from the confluence of the Vuoksa River into Lake Ladoga. More detailed information about the cost of visiting and opening hours can be found on their website.

Lighthouse– I really love lighthouses, looking at them, being close to them, they give me strength. On the map we saw that we would meet one on the way; it turned out that it was located on the territory of the Park Hotel Captain-Morgan, where only vacationers are allowed. We really, really asked and were allowed to come in for a short while.

We spent the night on the shore of Lake Ladoga in a tent, using the maps.me map we found the road to drive up by car. And at the end of the day there was such a sunset.

Day 2:

Finally we arrived in Karelia, even more beautiful ones await natural places: lakes, rivers, waterfalls and endless forests. We were in Karelia this winter, so for comparison I will share and winter photos Same.

Khiitol rocks— if you turn right from the main road towards Tiurul, you can get to a 20-meter steep cliff on which climbers train.

Sortavala- a city in Karelia.

What to see:

The city center and the pier from which ships depart for Valaam.
City park "Vakkosalmi", where you can see from Mount Kuhavuori beautiful view to the city.
You can have a snack and taste local Karelian pies at the Kalitka cafe, located at st. Komsomolskaya, 9, Sortavala. It is small in size, two tables and chairs, delicious pies and cheap tea and coffee.

Where to stay?

3 best hotel in Sortavala in terms of price/quality ratio.

Ahvenkoski Waterfall- a complex consisting of several waterfalls, located at the overflow of the Tokhmajoki River. Their height is on average 3-4 meters. In 2005, the film “The Dark World” was filmed on Akhvenkoski, for which a dummy of a log hut was specially built, which is located there to this day. The bathing scene of the main character of the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” and scenes from the last battle were also filmed here.

To get closer to the waterfall, you will walk along a beautiful wooden staircase next to which there are figures of various heroes, everyone loves to take pictures with them, we couldn’t resist either.

Marble Canyon– a historical monument, a former marble quarry filled with groundwater. It was here that marble was mined for the palaces of St. Petersburg. On the official website of the mountain park you can always find up-to-date information, about prices and how to get there. In the evenings, the park is illuminated with very beautiful lighting; if you have the opportunity to linger, it’s worth it.

After the walk, the weather began to deteriorate and we began to look for somewhere to stay. Traveling during the high season is bad because there are no vacancies in hostels/guest houses/hotels. So we recommend that you think about this in advance.

Day 3:

HPP Lyaskelya— The Republic of Karelia is rich in hydropower resources, which are used by various hydroelectric power stations; we were able to visit several of them. First we saw the small Läskelä hydroelectric power station, which is located on the Jänisjoki River. It was launched in 1899, destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, and then restored again. After the reconstruction was completed, the station became fully automated, its work is carried out without permanent personnel.

White Bridges Waterfall- most high waterfall throughout the south of Karelia, its height is 19 meters. Not far from it there is another one, which is often called White Bridges 2. The peculiarity of White Bridges 2 is that in hot summer weather this waterfall can dry up almost completely, but in the spring or in rainy weather the waterfall is no less picturesque than its elder comrade.

The road to it is of average quality, depending on the season, of course. We were in the rainy season, the road was washed out and full of large and deep puddles. Many people left their cars halfway and walked further; large cars passed without any problems.

Lake Rukojärvi– a picturesque lake, it was here that we decided to stop for a snack and rest. The place is also great for fishing, camping and families with children.

Waterfall "Upper Koirinoya"— it is located right in the village of Koirinoya on the site of a destroyed dam. Its height is approximately 5 meters. You can drive almost right up to it.

Waterfall "Lower Koirinoya"- is located outside the village. Its height is approximately 4 meters.

Pieni-Joki hydroelectric power station– this hydroelectric power station was built on the Tulimajoki River by the Finns in 1918–1920. Since 1995, she began working year-round.

The last place we managed to visit before dark was Lodeynoye Pole, we walked around main square, we stood on the banks of the Svir River, and the road home was ahead of us.

We did not have time to see: Shlisselburg and the Oreshek fortress, new and old Ladoga, the city of Olonets.

Are you planning to visit Petrozavodsk? Book your accommodation in advance. There are three categories: “cheap”, “popular” and “close to the center”. Book your option.

If the route turned out to be useful for you, write about it in the comments. If you know other interesting places that are definitely worth seeing, then please write about that too.

Lake Ladoga... This place invariably attracts thousands of tourists and guests of the northern capital from year to year. The question of how you can get to Lake Ladoga from St. Petersburg, how many kilometers you need to cover, interests many. Let's talk about this in our article.

Neva-Sea

As you know, Lake Ladoga is the largest in Europe, and it is rightly called the sea. When you get to these places, you begin to truly understand the beauty and greatness of this ancient lake with full-fledged, quite sea tides, steep storms, with a very deep and bottomless bottom. The ancient name of Ladoga is Neva-Sea. This is explained by the proximity of the Neva, which originates in these waters. The area of Lake Ladoga together with the islands reaches a total of about 18 thousand square kilometers, average depth- 50 meters.

Numerous islands are concentrated mainly in the north. Two large ones and Mantsinsaari are located in the central part of the lake. The water of this freshwater sea is slightly mineralized and transparent. During the harsh northern winter, the lake is covered with a layer of ice, which begins to thaw only in mid-to-late April at the southernmost shores. Sharp gusts of northern wind drive unmelted ice masses into the Neva. About how you can get to Lake Ladoga from St. Petersburg, a little further...

North channel

Ladoga's character is cool and unpredictable. Often, stormy winds prevailing in one part of the lake-sea are replaced by almost complete calm in another. In calm and clear weather this mystical place you can see mirages - unknown islands floating in the haze above the water or the outlines of unknown ships disappearing in the morning fog...

The history of these places goes back to ancient times. Around the 9th century, the first ships began to ply the waters of Ladoga, paving the ancient trade route known as “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” It was the first to connect the northern lands with the southern, Scandinavia with Byzantium, Southern Rus' with Northern.

The Ladoga shores, stretching for thousands of kilometers, are inhabited by a small number of inhabitants. There are mainly small ancient towns and villages located here. Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Sortavala, Shlisselburg... These names breathe north wind, coolness and immensity.

The way to Ladoga. The fastest and most convenient way

The first question that concerns all tourists arriving in the northern capital, who have already enjoyed river boat trips and are slightly tired from the intense cultural life, visiting theaters and museums and evening promenades along Nevsky - this is how to get to Lake Ladoga from St. Petersburg? First of all, we note that you can get to Ladoga in different ways.

For lovers of long hiking We can recommend walking, but this, of course, is not suitable for everyone. Of course, the most convenient way to cover a distance of about 60 km is by car. To find out how to get from St. Petersburg to Lake Ladoga by car, you can read numerous reviews from tourists or local residents who often visit these places.

Passing numerous coastal villages along a rather old, but quite decent asphalt road, you can drive to the nearest beach in about an hour. A wide sandy strip of shore, bordered by high shallow waves slowly rushing onto the shore, clear depth of water and a fresh sea breeze. All this is our northern lake-sea!

By train from St. Petersburg

If you navigate by map highways, St. Petersburg and Lake Ladoga are not separated by such a great distance. What other way can you get from one point to another? There are, of course, other routes, for example, the railway. You can easily find out the schedule of passing trains, as well as make inquiries about how to get from St. Petersburg to Lake Ladoga by train at the city station.

After traveling for a couple of hours commuter train, you find yourself at the final station of Lake Ladoga. Arriving at the platform, guests are solemnly greeted by a local historical monument, a steam locomotive that witnessed the events of more than half a century ago, when the path from the northern capital to the rest of the country was tightly cut off by the German occupiers. During the Second World War, the famous “Road of Life” passed along the ice of the lake, the route of salvation for many thousands of residents of the besieged city. As a sign of the meeting of the land and water parts of the “Road of Life”, the “Broken Ring” memorial monument was erected.

Once you have decided on your transport, do not delay your trip. - certainly one of the pearls of Karelia, a place that everyone who has visited these northern latitudes at least once should visit.

"We live in the most beautiful country in the world, and all other countries envy us! ”, - I’m ready to subscribe to every word. And the point is not even that “we shoed a flea and pierced a caterpillar,” but that so many natural and man-made miracles that you constantly feel a sense of pride for your Motherland, and this makes your soul feel so good!

We have the very best: the best deep lake in the world (Baikal), the most extensive forests (Siberian taiga), the coldest populated area on Earth (Oymyakon), the largest Orthodox church located in Moscow (Cathedral of Christ the Savior)… We have a lot of things, the list goes on and on.

Now I want to talk about one more “most”, about the most big lake in Europe - Ladoga. It is more than two hundred kilometers long and 125 kilometers wide! When you stand on its shore, it seems that this is not a lake, this is the SEA! Ladoga is, of course, a national treasure not only for its impressive size, but also thanks to clean water, unique flora and fauna, rich history... Well, I’ll try to embrace the immensity and tell it in in brief all the most interesting and useful things I know about this miracle of nature.

How to get there

Lake Ladoga occupies a huge area and is located in two regions at once Russian Federation– Leningrad region (western, southern shores) and the Republic of Karelia (northern, eastern shores).

The choice of your preferred mode of transport directly depends on which shore of Lake Ladoga you are trying to get to. In principle, it can be reached by plane, train, bus, ferry, and, of course, by private car.

By plane

To St. Petersburg

The closest airport to Lake Ladoga is Pulkovo Airport, located in St. Petersburg. The distance from it to the southwestern shore of Ladoga in the most optimal way (by car) is 55 kilometers. Pulkovo is the largest air transport node North-West region, receiving daily flights from many settlements Russia and from abroad. Pick up optimal route from your city, I think it won’t be difficult. The official website of St. Petersburg airport and other Internet resources can help you. For example, you can monitor ticket prices.

You can rent a car right in the arrival hall (Avis, Europcar, Sixt). The price for renting an economy class car (eg Hyundai Solaris) for one day is about 2000 rubles; The longer the rental period, the more acceptable the final cost. Compare prices from different rental companies.

If you plan to continue your trip to public transport, then now is the time to decide how you intend to get to your final destination on Lake Ladoga - by railway or by bus. In the first case, you need to get, no, not to Ladozhsky, but to the Finlyandsky station (popularly “Finban”), in the second - to the Obvodny Canal bus station or to the Northern bus station.

How to get there from the airport

So, how can a tourist leave the airport? There are two acceptable options:

by taxi. Just don’t even think about hiring a driver from among those who offer their services at the exit of the terminal! They usually charge prices three times higher than the citywide prices. Just call a taxi service (for example, “Vezet”, “Taksovichkoff”, “068”). The machine delivery time is no more than 15 minutes; transfer cost to Finban ~ 850 rubles, to the bus station on the Obvodny Canal ~ 600 rubles, to the Northern bus station ~ 1100 rubles;
bus + metro. Buses (No. 39, No. 39A) and minibuses (No. 39K) regularly run from the airport building to the Moskovskaya metro station. Travel time is 15 – 30 minutes depending on the traffic situation, the fare is 40 rubles. In order to get to Train Station you need to get to the Lenina Square metro station (change at the Tekhnologichesky Institute station), the bus station is within a 5-minute walk from the Obvodny Kanal metro station (change at the Sennaya Ploshchad station), Northern Bus Station – near the Devyatkino metro station (transfer to the Tekhnologichesky Institute station). For your convenience, I am including a map of the St. Petersburg metro. There is a mark on it where the route begins - station. m. Moskovskaya (red star), marks final stops: Finland Station - yellow rectangle, bus station - light green, Northern Bus Station - purple.

To Petrozavodsk

Alternative airports “in the vicinity” of Lake Ladoga:

airport "Besovets" in. The distance to the eastern shore of Ladoga (Pitkyaranta) is approximately 190 km. Keep in mind that it has air service only with Moscow. Flights are operated by RusLine five days a week. The travel time is about 2 hours; for a round-trip ticket you will need to pay approximately 8,000 rubles. Read about how to get from the airport to the city center. It is better to get to the coast of Lake Ladoga (the cities of Lakhdenpokhya, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Syasstroy) by bus from the local bus station. For example, the travel time to Sortavala will be about 4 hours, the ticket price is 550 – 600 rubles; It takes longer to get to Syasstroy - about 5 hours, the ticket price starts from 650 rubles.

By train

From Saint-Petersburg

From Finlyandsky Station(metro station "Ploshchad Lenina") there are regular commuter trains to Priozersk (northern direction) and to Shlisselburg (south-eastern, east directions). There are more flights in summer, fewer in winter. You can view the current schedule on the Russian Railways website. For clarity, I am posting a print screen of the map. It shows the nearest railway stations to the coast of Lake Ladoga with colored markers.

Raspberry color Priozersk is indicated (fare ~350 rubles), located on the Vuoksa River. The shore of the lake is located no more than 5 kilometers from the city center. From the Priozersk bus station (Vyborgskaya str., 31) you can go to smaller settlements on Ladoga.
Orange marker– railway station Ladoga Lake (fare ~130 rubles). From the station to the beach, walk no more than one kilometer.
Purple marker– Petrokrepost railway station (~120 rubles), located in the village named after. Morozova. The distance to the Ladoga coast is 500 meters.

From Ladozhsky station(Ladozhskaya metro station) train No. 350A runs twice a week (Wednesday, Friday), following the route - Kostomuksha. He makes stops in Priozersk and Sortavala. The train arrives in Priozersk 2 hours after departure from St. Petersburg, and in Sortavala - 5.5 hours later. Please note that the cost of tickets to Priozersk will be higher than to commuter train- about 450 rubles one way; a ticket to Sortavala will not cost much more than to Priozersk, about 550 rubles.

From Moscow, from other cities

I advise you not to invent a bicycle, but to get from Moscow (by train, plane, bus) to St. Petersburg, and from here start to your final destination. You will not find convenient direct trains or electric trains going straight to Lake Ladoga from Moscow or any other large Russian cities.

By bus

From Saint-Petersburg

Bus station on the Obvodny Canal(Obvodny Kanal metro station) offers tourists daily flights to Novaya Ladoga (No. 847), Syasstroy (No. 862) and Pitkyaranta (No. 963). All these settlements are located in close proximity to the shore of Lake Ladoga. A bus ticket to Novaya Ladoga will cost about 300 rubles, travel time is 3.5 hours; to Syasstroy - from 350 rubles, travel time - 2.5 hours; to Pitkäranta - about 900 rubles, travel time - at least 7.5 hours. The bus to Pitkäranta also makes stops in other settlements with access to Lake Ladoga. You can easily buy a ticket to the villages of Vidlitsa or Salmi. If you kill two birds with one stone, you will save a little and end up in a sparsely populated area (relevant for those who are planning to go on holiday as a “savage”).

North Bus Station(metro station "Devyatkino") Tickets to Syasstroy (350 rubles) and Priozersk (250 rubles) are sold here. Tickets can be purchased either at the ticket office of bus stations or on the Internet.

From Petrozavodsk

Petrozavodsk bus station(Chapayeva St., 3) offers a large number of inter-republican routes to Sortavala, Lakhdenpokhya, Pitkyaranta. More interesting direction– northern (to Sortavala). The cost of a ticket Sortavala – Petrozavodsk (4 hours travel time) is ~600 rubles. It is possible to get off this flight earlier, in such picturesque places, like Rautalahti or Karjavalahti (the village is not indicated on the map, but bus stop exists!). From Petrozavodsk to the Pitkyaranta bus station (Privokzalnaya St., 30) travel costs about 450 rubles (the journey takes 3.5 hours). Current schedule can be seen on the website of the Petrozavodsk bus station.

From Moscow, from other cities

As is the case with by rail, I strongly advise you to first get to St. Petersburg or Petrozavodsk in any convenient way, and from there take a bus following the routes I suggested above.

By car

The most, most, most convenient way to get from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Lake Ladoga! You can get to almost any place with your own car. coastline, without thinking about tickets, their cost and availability, time for transfers... You can take a bunch of things with you; This is especially true for campers and amateurs active rest.

From Saint-Petersburg there are two main highways encircling Ladoga - one runs along its western, northern coast (A-121 Sortavala), the other along the southern coast and then turns to Petrozavodsk (R-21 Kola). These routes meet each other in the area of the Karelian village of Pryazha, located near Petrozavodsk. On East Coast(road 86K-8) can be reached from the P-21 highway after the city of Olonets, and from the A-121 road, turning south from it in the area of the village of Leppäsilta. Which path you prefer depends on the final point of your trip. Theoretically, to get to the southern and eastern coasts, it is better to use the Kola highway, and to the northern and western coasts, it is better to use the Sortavala highway. Or maybe you just want to take a ride around Ladoga? Then the “problem of choice” disappears by itself.

From Moscow, of course, the ride is longer, at least 700 kilometers longer. If you want to get to the western or northern shores of Ladoga, feel free to follow the familiar M-10 highway to St. Petersburg, and along the St. Petersburg Ring Road take the Sortavala highway. If you planned to find yourself on the southern or eastern banks, then from the M-10 highway after the village of Chudovo you need to turn right onto Volkhov. In the end, this road will lead you to the Kola highway and further to Lake Ladoga. Another alternative route from Moscow to the eastern coast of Lake Ladoga is the A-114 road, passing through Kalyazin, Pikalevo,. But, I warn you, the quality of the road surface and roadside infrastructure of the A-114 road are inferior to the same indicators of the M-10 federal highway. In the “worst” case, you will have to spend about 13 hours on the road, for example, if you are traveling from Moscow to Sortavala or Pitkäranta ( ~1000 km). However, I do not recommend stopping overnight on the road. This distance can easily be covered in one day, and even with small children, it has been tested for yourself.

It wouldn’t hurt to immediately draw up a travel estimate (for a car enthusiast traveler from Moscow):

payment for gasoline (based on 2000 km in both directions) - about 8000 rubles;
travel by toll road M11 - from 1000 to 1500 rubles depending on the time of day (round trip);
snacks in roadside cafes - at least 300 rubles per person;
hotel room - minimum 1500 rubles per double occupancy(if you decide to stop for the night along the way).

The total is approximately 15,000 rubles. Of course, we can optimize expenses by removing all items from the list except the purchase of fuel - then our estimate will be cut exactly in half!

By ferry

From Saint-Petersburg

Since the beginning of May, numerous travel companies offer a huge number of water cruises on Lake Ladoga. You can easily choose a route to your liking, for example, “St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg” (for 3 days, price from 8,000 rubles), “St. Petersburg - Valaam - Konevets - St. Petersburg” (for 4 days, prices from 11 thousand rubles), extended “St. Petersburg - Valaam - Sortavala - Pellotsari - Konevets - St. Petersburg” (for 5 days, prices from 19 thousand rubles). And so on and so forth. There are countless of these cruises, they are all different in price, content, and duration.

Motor ships start from the St. Petersburg River Station (Obukhovskaya Oborony Ave., 195) and arrive there. Unfortunately, the public budget river transport to the islands on this moment does not exist. If you want to swim to any island in Lake Ladoga from Northern capital, you will have to buy a ticket to river cruise, but this, as you probably noticed, is not a cheap pleasure.

From Moscow

It is also easy to sail to the islands of Lake Ladoga, as from St. Petersburg - you just need to buy a ticket for the ship. All river boats to Ladoga depart from the Northern River Station (metro station " River Station"). Interesting cruises, in my opinion, are “Moscow - - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Valaam - St. Petersburg” (duration – 9 days, cost – 42,000 rubles) or “Moscow - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Moscow” (for 12 days , cost from 64,000 rubles)... In general, the offer of cruises is truly impressive, apparently, and the demand for them is quite high, despite their fabulous cost.

Clue:

Lake Ladoga - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Ekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season? When is the best time to go

You most likely have already guessed that the peak season on Lake Ladoga is, of course, summer. The climate here is not very pleasant - humid, cloudy, windy - and even in summer there will probably not be a single sunny day during your holiday on the coast. But this is the saddest option. Statistics say that on average there are about 60 sunny days a year on Ladoga, of course, the lion's share of them occur in the summer, when the southern anticyclone enters the lake area, and in the winter - during the dominance of the Arctic anticyclone. Spring and fall are usually very rainy and windy, especially in the fall when storm season begins.

The northern and eastern coasts of Ladoga (Lakhdenpokhsky, Pitkyaranta, Olonetsky districts and the city of Sortavala of the Republic of Karelia) are equated to the regions of the Far North. I can’t say that the climate here is very harsh compared to, for example, St. Petersburg, but by a couple of degrees average annual temperature clearly lower.

Lake Ladoga in summer

As I said, summer - best choice to visit Lake Ladoga. At least the air temperature here is guaranteed to be positive. It is in the summer that residents of St. Petersburg and other major cities people from our Motherland choose to go to the shores of Lake Ladoga in order to take a break from the city noise and bustle, breathe fresh air, and improve their health. In June it is still quite cool, for a trip it is better to choose July-August, when average monthly temperature air will still exceed 20 degrees Celsius. True, it is not a fact that you will be able to swim, because the water in Ladoga only in rare years warms up to more than 21 degrees, and even then, this temperature is relevant only for the southern shallow areas; on the northern coast, where the depths are much greater, only "walruses".

Lake Ladoga in autumn

Navigation on Lake Ladoga closes in October, and this is no coincidence. It is at the beginning of October that the strongest storms rage on Ladoga. The weather is disgusting - cold, damp, cloudy, plus fog and gusty wind. If you are going to Lake Ladoga in the fall, then only in September, preferably at the beginning of the month. There are lovely quiet days here early autumn, when in the calm, avid lovers can enjoy good fishing, when tourists can still sail to the islands and Konevets, and when “middle managers” can spend their last weekend in nature, barbecuing and contemplating the local beauty.

Lake Ladoga in spring

March and April - not at all best time to plan a trip to the shore of Lake Ladoga. But this is purely my personal opinion. I start from the fact that in March and even in April there can be negative temperatures here, and if not, then there is a high probability of precipitation, fog and gusty winds. The first tourists usually appear in these parts at the beginning of May, and there is a good reason for this - the May long weekend. In May, navigation just opens - welcome to Konevets, Peplotsari and other islands. But don’t flatter yourself too much – the average monthly May temperature for the region is 10 degrees Celsius, so you can safely leave your sunscreen at home!

Lake Ladoga in winter

In winter, numerous fans come out onto the ice of Ladoga to hunt for fish :). Winter fishing very, very popular on Ladoga. Unfortunately, due to the unstable temperature (either wild cold or thaw), sad incidents often happen on the ice of Lake Ladoga. People, be attentive and extremely careful, no “okushka” is worth a human life! In addition to fishing, in winter people engage in various “activities”, for example, skiing, ice skating, snow kiting... The average temperature throughout the country is -8.8 degrees Celsius.

Conditional areas. Descriptions and features

The nature of Lake Ladoga is beautiful, amazing and, by the way, quite diverse.

North Shore Ladoga from Priozersk to Pitkäranta is a rocky skerry area with fjords and numerous small islands. It is very beautiful and romantic here. The natural landscapes are immediately reminiscent of Finland, Norway, and Sweden combined. It's impossible not to fall in love with this rugged northern beauty; and anyone who has visited Northern Ladoga at least once will definitely want to come back here again. And again. And again. There are plenty of housing offers here. These are mainly guest houses and cottages. Where there is demand, there is supply. Recently, especially “thanks” to the economic crisis, more and more Russians are choosing to vacation in their homeland. Northern Ladoga is an ideal option in this regard - service and views are like abroad, but you still pay for your vacation with our “wooden” ones. The flow of tourists to this area is now consistently high, so you need to try to find decent living conditions, but affordable housing. Some people make it simpler - they come here in the summer with tents. If you have your own boat, you can sail to any micro island, set up your own camp and feel like a real oligarch, at least for the weekend!

South coast, unlike the Northern one, is low, swampy, slightly indented. From interesting places I can name the “Oreshek” fortress at the mouth of the Neva River, the cities of Novaya and Staraya Ladoga. Actually, all hotels and inns are concentrated near these attractions. The reason for the poorly developed infrastructure, in my opinion, is the fact that the entire southern shore of Ladoga is surrounded by the Staraya Ladoga and Novoladoga canals. They have a high daily traffic load and, probably, partly hinder the development of the tourism business due to the fact that they separate the lake shore from the “ big land" However, there are also a couple of decent guest houses here. They say that on south coast It’s better to “bite” that this is “a paradise for a fisherman.” And the water temperature here is higher, so you can even swim in the summer!

West Bank it is also slightly indented and densely overgrown with bushes and forests, approaching right to the water's edge. It is difficult to find a decent place for a secluded parking lot here. The beaches in the village of Kokkorevo and the village of Lake Ladoga are very popular, as they are located near St. Petersburg. There are a couple of spa hotels and guest houses nearby that look quite decent. But further to the north there is a “bare” all the way to Priozersk.

Eastern Bank, is probably the least popular among tourists, no, not because it is “worse” there, but because it is further away. Few St. Petersburg residents want to spend five hours on the road one way to barbecue, and then drive five hours home again the next day so as not to be late for work on Monday. But everything changes dramatically if you are not planning a weekend getaway, but a full-fledged vacation. Then - welcome to the east coast with its wide sandy beaches, clean water and the complete absence of people. After the Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky reserves, that part of the eastern coast begins, which the traveler needs to get to. You can choose to stay in a guest house or hotel, or rent a house from a private owner (this is relevant not only for the east coast).

Below I place a map of hotels/hotels/guest houses of Ladoga. Pink rectangle - north coast; purple is not a rectangle - South coast with little choice; red - the western coast with an even less rich choice of housing; yellow - eastern. Prices for accommodation and entertainment will be discussed in the next section.

What are the prices for holidays?

Accommodation prices vary from 1,500 rubles per night to infinity (well, say, 20,000 rubles in a club spa hotel). This applies to a double room. If you come with a large group and rent a house, then most likely it will be quite affordable - the same 1000 - 1500 rubles per person, but the living conditions will be much more comfortable. The house, as a rule, has its own kitchen (so you can cook yourself and not spend money on a restaurant), grill or barbecue outside. Double rooms barely have a cooking area, at most a refrigerator and a kettle.

You can save money by carefully monitoring coupon sites. Discounts on accommodation in some hotels sometimes reach 50%! If you are planning a long vacation on the shores of Lake Ladoga, then you can think about renting a country house - a dacha. Good options will cost from 30,000 rubles per month of stay, bargaining is appropriate.

In hotel restaurants, prices can vary, defying any laws of logic. It can be cheap and tasty, or maybe vice versa. But on average, you can expect the following prices: breakfast 150/300 rubles, lunch 250/500 rubles, dinner 250/600 rubles.

Another expense item is the rental of sports equipment. The cost of renting a rowing boat is approx. 1500 rub./day, boats with a motor – approx. 2500 rub./day, bicycle – from 200 rub./day, ATV – from 2000 rub./hour, snowmobile – from 1500 rub./hour; negotiable price for hunting, fishing, excursions to the islands.

Main attractions. What to see

The main attraction of Ladoga is, undoubtedly, its stunning nature! No matter how many times you come to Ladoga, it doesn’t matter, you will never be able to look at its harsh northern landscapes indifferently. This incredible symbiosis - pines, rocks, mosses, coastal waves, the distant horizon... They act magically - they calm the mind, help to tune in to a philosophical mood, throw away everything empty and even make an important decision. Yes, yes, it is! That is why, my number one in the TOP 5 list.

Top 5

Beaches. Which ones are better

Of course, you can’t count all the beaches of Lake Ladoga! There are a huge, huge number of them. I’ll start my brief review, perhaps, with those that are located near St. Petersburg:

beach in the village “Kokkorevo” (on map No. 1). A very popular and crowded place to relax. On a fine day, owners of nearby summer cottages and residents of the eastern districts of St. Petersburg flock here (and residents of the western districts go to relax on The Gulf of Finland). The beach is sandy, without any infrastructure, but surprisingly quite clean, apparently proximity plays an important role Capital of Culture. This beach is a gathering place for kitesurfers and windsurfers;

beach in the village of “Lake Ladoga” (on map No. 2). There are a terrible number of people here on a summer day off, but you can always lay down your own towel. The beach is sandy and clean with the necessary infrastructure (changing rooms, toilets, cafes). There is a volleyball net and sports equipment rental. 20 meters from beach strip the museum of the siege of Leningrad is located; The Osinovetsky lighthouse (one of the highest on Ladoga) dominates the area. The only negative is that the water temperature is not always pleasing, but this does not stop desperate St. Petersburg residents. Arrived - swim!
There is an excellent beach near the village of Vladimirovka (on map No. 3). It is located exactly opposite Konevets Island, and summer yoga festivals are held here. The beach is a long strip of sand with a gentle entry into the water. At the bottom there are quite large boulders and pebbles. But you will probably notice them, because the water is very clean and transparent! The beach is NOT equipped with changing rooms, there is no cafe here, but there are pine trees, sand and sun (sometimes);
Wonderful long sand beach there is not far from the village of Motornoye (on map No. 4). Almost the twin brother of beach number 3. Sand and pine trees are the main advantages of this place. The water is probably cold. Fans of tent camping often stop here; it is a fairly safe place. For reference, the beach is located 150 km from St. Petersburg;
Further after Priozersk, the skerries area begins, which rarely pampers tourists with warm sand. Among the rocky northern shores of Ladoga, there are sandy bays, but you have to look for them yourself. I will give the highest rating to the beaches of Koyonsaari Island (on map No. 5), they are magnificent. Minimum people and no service, but maximum nature and silence;

On east coast after Pitkäranta, in the area of the village of Karku, an almost continuous strip of sand begins, a kind of eastern “monobeach”. I would especially like to mention the area of the village of Vidlitsa (on map No. 6), it’s beautiful and pleasant to relax here, and it’s not that far to go to a grocery store. Of course, don’t expect any service here – only privacy, only hardcore!

After the city of Olonets, swampy areas begin, occupying almost the entire southern coast of Ladoga up to Shlisselburg. To make it easier for you to find your way around, I’m including a map. I want to emphasize that this is my personal set of acceptable places beach holiday, I think you understand that you can swim, if you wish, on any stretch of the Ladoga coast.

Churches and temples. Which ones are worth visiting?

Museums. Which ones are worth visiting?

To the above museum sites (Valaam, Konevets, Oreshek fortress, Korela fortress) I will add a few more cultural attractions that are interesting for an inquisitive mind:

Museum “Road of Life” (village “Lake Ladoga”). A large and entertaining museum complex consisting of an outdoor exhibition and several thematic pavilions. Here you can see with your own eyes and even touch a genuine military equipment those years, examine in detail the personal belongings of Red Army soldiers, see unique photographs, listen to a “touching to the heart” excursion. The museum is a must visit! Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 11-00 to 18-00. The cost of visiting is 200 rubles. for adults, excursion service– 150 rubles, audio guide – 300 rubles.

Museum of the History of the City of Shlisselburg (Shlisselburg, Factory Island, 2A). The museum is located in a relatively small room, so the exhibitions are constantly changing. I found the museum interesting because for a small fee (200 rubles for a group of 5 people) you can book a tour not only in the permanent museum building, but throughout Shlisselburg. A senior museum researcher will take you to key sites and tell you all about the city's founding and history. Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 09-00 to 18-00, Saturday from 10-00 to 17-00, Sunday – closed. The cost of an adult ticket is 30 (!) rubles.

Regional Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region (Sortavala, Ladoga Flotilla Embankment, 5). Sortavala is a city with a Finnish rather than a Russian face. You can feel the Scandinavian spirit of this Karelian city in the halls of the museum of the northern Ladoga region. See the main local history exhibitions, visit the halls of temporary exhibitions, and take field trips around the city and the nearest islands. Behind detailed information please visit the website.

Parks

In the southeastern part of Lake Ladoga there are two particularly important natural sites - the Nizhne-Svirsky State nature reserve and Olonets State Nature Reserve (part of the first). They were created in the 80s to preserve and protect the flora and fauna of the region. First of all, this concerns waterfowl and migratory birds, which have stopovers in these places for rest and feeding.

The Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky nature reserves will be of interest to ornithologists and fans of pristine nature. But getting to the territory of the reserves is not so easy! It is necessary to first send an application addressed to the director indicating the purpose of the visit, length of stay, and the number of people in the group. When management makes a positive decision on admission, payment is made (nowhere is it indicated how much, apparently this is a big secret), and the group is included in the visiting schedule.

What to see in 1 day

Going to Ladoga for one day from afar is somehow ridiculous. We will start from the fact that you are a St. Petersburg resident or a guest of the Northern capital, who, tired of the bustle of the city, decided to get out into nature for a “weekend”. Let's say you have a personal car, and the weather outside is +25 degrees Celsius. So be it! Then my suggestion:

At 10-00 we leave the house/hotel/hostel in the direction of Shlisselburg. In principle, from any area of the city to the mouth of the Neva (where Shlisselburg is located) it takes no more than an hour (without traffic jams).
Our path lies to the Oreshek fortress. Enter into your navigator the address of the pier from which boats depart for Orekhovy Island - the village named after. Morozova, st. Skvortsova, 76.
Let's assume that at 11-00 you are already there! We take a boat to the island. We walk, wander, admire, take pictures. You can even take a short break at the fortress wall. Admire the views of Ladoga, Neva and Shlisselburg. Drink coffee from a thermos, eat a sandwich (which you, of course, took with you from home).
At one o'clock in the afternoon or so, I suggest moving towards the beach in the village of Lake Ladoga.
On the way, we’ll stop by to see the “Broken Ring” monument, which is located in the village of Kokkorevo.
Around two we are on the beach. Hooray! The main landmark of the beach is the huge Osinovetsky lighthouse; if you are near it, then you are on the most popular beach of Ladoga.
We relax - swim and sunbathe, sunbathe and swim.
For those who are hungry, there are a couple of cafes on the beach. Of course, the prices here are a little steep, but hunger is not a problem!
Those who are not delighted with meaningless lying on the beach, or do not like to play, say, beach volleyball (by the way, there are nets) can also get cultured by going to the nearby “Road of Life” museum.
I think that by six or seven o’clock in the evening you will already have time to feel all the charm of beach life on Lake Ladoga - it’s time to go home.
On way back buy dried or smoked fish. Yum-yum, very tasty. And such delicacies are sold almost everywhere - in stalls on the highway and in rural stores.
At eight o'clock in the evening you are satisfied and happy - already at home.

Neighboring regions

Ruskeala Mountain Park (34 km from Sortavala) – former marble quarries, now unique in beauty natural object. The main attractions of the park are the “Main” quarry, together with the Italian quarry and the Ruskeala failure. Read more about the place, or on the official website.

Nearby Islands

Lake Ladoga delights tourists with islands - there are about 660 of them (!), and about 500 of them are concentrated in the northern part of Ladoga, the so-called “skerry area”. The two most famous islands are Konevets (I wrote about them above). The most large islands Ladoga - Riekkalansaari (near Sortavala), Mantsinsaari (south of Pitkäranta), Kilpola (near the village of Kuznechnoye). But some micro islands do not have names at all; travelers themselves give them names! The island of Pellotsaari is interesting, having the shape of a heart, “the heart of Ladoga”. There is a walking ecological trail “One day in the life of a taiga island” on it.

Each, even the smallest island, is a unique and unrepeatable little world. If you sail a boat through the skerries, you can find perfect island to your taste!

Food. What to try

One of the main riches of Ladoga is FISH! In the waters of the lake there are more than 50 varieties of fish, including salmon, trout, lamprey, whitefish, pike perch, smelt... Since the waters of the lake are considered quite clean, you can safely eat the Ladoga catch without fear of being poisoned by heavy metals or toxic chemicals. In almost every locality on Lake Ladoga there are shops or stalls where they sell fresh, smoked or dried fish. I advise you not to neglect the alluring aromas, but rather buy, for example, smoked bream, and take home fresh, tender trout!

They say that on the Murmansk highway, 75 km from St. Petersburg in the village of Yushkovo, there is a wonderful fish market, which amazes the urban citizen with its assortment and price. There is so much to be found here - fresh, smoked, salted, dried and dried fish and, of course, caviar. The initial cost can be high, so bargain. Approximate prices for fish (for 1 piece): trout, whitefish, salmon, hot smoked bream - approx. 300 rubles; the same items, but cold smoked ones are more expensive - prices start from 350 rubles per unit; Dried bream and pike - approx. 200 rubles; dried vendace - from 200 rubles 0.5 kg.

All more or less decent places are located either in cities (Priozersk, Shlisselburg, etc.) or at hotels. In both the first and second cases, you can choose a restaurant to suit your taste and budget. It is clear that in large populated areas there are European, Japanese, and Russian taverns, and you can have a snack on shawarma or a hamburger, but let the seeker find! What I mean is that instead of McDonald's or Sveta's cafe, you can find establishments where they prepare freshly caught Ladoga fish and national Karelian dishes (kalaruoka, kalitki). I believe that without tasting local “delicacies” the trip would be incomplete!

Very good places where you can try some of the Karelian cuisine:

restaurants "Dacha Wintera" (in the city),
Piipun Piha (in),
“Ladoga Estate” (in the village of Niemelyanhovi).

The cost of dinner with drinks per person starts from 1000 rubles.

Holidays

In my opinion, the two most significant events on Lake Ladoga are of a sporting nature:

Safety. What to watch out for

In Russia you should, of course, beware of roads and fools. The road around Lake Ladoga is mostly passable, but there are some sections of primer where you can kill your car’s suspension or get the body paint chipped (as happened with us!). You should drive in such areas slowly, carefully, gently; True, the faster guys are trying to overtake you and throw a wave of roadside dust over you. You also need to be careful when approaching the edge of the lake - it is quite possible to get stuck in liquid soil, or skid in the sand, or God knows what else! It’s worth carrying a winch and a couple of strong men with you at all times. As for fools... My friends and I really like to relax outdoors in tents, but it’s not always safe, unfortunately. Bad people can take you by surprise - rob you, or even worse... Therefore, if you go into nature as a “savage”, then only in large groups, and if together, then it is better to stay at recreation centers or in tent camps. Another misfortune for a tourist - weather. If you are boating in “open” water, beware of sudden changes in weather. This phenomenon is not uncommon in Ladoga. The lake often experiences strong storms and dangerous waves that can capsize any boat even with an experienced captain.

Things to do

In the summer, of course, sunbathe and swim, if the weather permits. Sailing on a boat (you can rent a boat at almost any hotel on Lake Ladoga), pack up and go on a hike from point A to point B (first work out your travel route in detail!), in summer and autumn, pick mushrooms and berries that grow here in abundance, You can fish in all seasons. This is a standard set of Ladoga entertainment, but if you want something hotter, try something more extreme (see below).

Extreme Sports

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

It doesn’t occur to me that I would advise you to bring something amazing and unique from Lake Ladoga. Most likely, it depends on the place where you will be vacationing.

For example, from the islands of Valaam and Konevets they mainly bring ritual items - icons, crosses, candles, Christian literature. Prices in the church shop are affordable, starting from 50 rubles per item (candles are cheaper). From the northern region of Ladoga, tourists take away products made from shungite (a black rock mined exclusively in Karelia). The cost of small figurines starts from 300 rubles. In many cities of the Ladoga region they offer products made from natural materials - leather (bags from 2000 rubles), birch bark (box from 500 rubles), wood (jewelry from 300 rubles), textiles (rugs from 1500 rubles) . Of course, you shouldn’t forget about natural gifts - mushrooms, berries (which you can pick yourself), fresh and thermally processed fish. But, of course, the best thing you can bring from Lake Ladoga is a lasting northern tan and a charge of positive mood!

How to get around the region

Lake Ladoga - holidays with children

I am a proponent of traveling everywhere with children. Therefore, of course, I advocate that on a trip to Lake Ladoga you need to take children with you, and more of them! They want fun, knowledge of the world around them, communication with nature, healing, hardening (all pluses). It’s a real hassle for you to keep track of them; but raising children is not easy at all! Before traveling to “any country,” I advise you to vaccinate yourself and your children against ticks. In recent years, cases of infection with tick-borne encephalitis in the Leningrad region have become more frequent. Be careful!

Anything to add?

On the railway map of the Leningrad region, I was always fascinated by the Irinovskoe direction - a rather short line running from St. Petersburg to the east and ending on the shore of Lake Ladoga. The line “to nowhere”, but electric trains run along it. What's there at the end? And what does Lake Ladoga actually look like, after which the final station of this line is named?

I also knew that during the war this particular railway was the “Road of Life”, and this was the second reason why, when I finally got tired of walking around St. Petersburg, on the next weekend I took the train at the Finlyandsky station and went to the Ladoga Lake station .

The train to Lake Ladoga takes about an hour and twenty minutes. The line passes through Vsevolozhsk, a suburb of St. Petersburg, which, despite its relative proximity to it, already belongs to the Leningrad region. There are no large settlements beyond Vsevolozhsk, and the line really goes “to nowhere”; it’s even strange that electric trains have not yet been cancelled.

Once upon a time, this railway was built by a certain Baron Korff to transport peat along it. It turned out to rhyme :) The road was narrow gauge, and it had its own small station, Okhtinsky. In the 1920s it was changed to a regular track, extended to the Finlyandsky station, and Okhtinsky was demolished. Beyond the Melnichny Ruchey station in Vsevolozhsk, the road now divides into two directions - to Lake Ladoga and Nevskaya Dubrovka - and both are dead ends. The road to Lake Ladoga is single-track. The only station is now located in the village of Borisova Griva, and there are only stops in Irinovka and other villages along the way.

I got to Lake Ladoga on the Smena train. However, it was no different from the unnamed ones.

The station is a dead end, and except for trains, nothing runs here. However, the station building is quite large and unusual. Although there are not even ticket offices at the station.

The first monument stands right there at the station. Some piece of torn metal. I couldn’t figure out what it was; the sign seemed to be torn off.

The second monument is also near the station, a locomotive from the siege. And the last kilometer post with the inscription “Road of Life”.

Seeing that I was photographing a steam locomotive, an elderly woman passing by from the train advised me to go to the Road of Life Museum and showed me how to get there. I heard that in this village there is a museum of the Road of Life, but initially I had no plans to go there (I don’t really like museums in general). And then, after thinking about it, I decided to take a look. And I didn’t regret it, but more about the museum below.

As far as I understand from the signs, there are two villages close together - the station Ladoga Lake and the slightly larger Osinovets.

And here is Lake Ladoga itself. It's really very close here. Lake Ladoga is much more like a sea than the real St. Petersburg Sea, the Gulf of Finland. It is bigger, deeper, and more severe. Of course, I couldn't help but like it :)

I wonder if in clear weather you can see the far shore here. It should be about 25 km away. Of course, the lake itself is much wider, about 120 by 170 kilometers - this is just its most South part, Shlisselburg Bay.

In St. Petersburg on that day (December 4) it was +2 and damp yes, in fact, in St. Petersburg it is still +2 and damp. And it’s noticeably cooler on the lake. It was snowing, and the sand on the shore froze and formed this sharp edge. I wonder when the lake itself freezes.

At least the swamps near the road are already frozen.

The museum here is also only a few minutes walk, but on the way to it you manage to meet a couple more monuments.

Here is the museum. At first it seemed to me that the door was locked, but when I started photographing the outdoor exhibition, an aunty came out and asked me to pay. I went in, paid and looked at the internal exhibition too :) They say there are quite a lot of visitors to the museum, especially at a more decent time of year. There were only two men with me, who looked at everything much faster than me. I had to walk around alone again with a smart look under the watchful gaze of museum women, which I don’t like so much; however, it's even worth it.

I really liked the museum. Although the content seems to be ordinary - photographs, diagrams, documents, newspaper clippings, machine guns and other not very large objects from those times, ship models. Maybe it's because the topic is interesting. I'm not a fan in general military history, but the topic of the siege of Leningrad has always made a very strong impression on me. And just living in those places where battles took place and pillboxes have been standing since then is also, let’s say, impressive. This is not the Urals, where, apart from Pugachev and the White Czechs, they never fought with anyone. I learned a lot about the Road of Life for the first time. For example, I was surprised that in the summer, much more cargo was still transported by barges across Ladoga than in the winter across the ice in cars and by temporary railway. It would seem easier on ice...

I can imagine what it meant for people to read in the newspaper: SHLISSELBURG IS OUR.

This diagram shows the Ladoga Lake station (further, to Morye Bay, now there is no railway) and Osinovets Bay, where the barges arrived. I went to Cape Osinovets after visiting the museum.

The external exhibition of the museum is quite large-scale.

The boat (in a very poor condition, but somehow even better. You can feel how much time has passed).

Even a transport plane.

And some things appeared in the museum clearly later. For example, this pile of scrap metal is all that remains of the downed Il-2 attack aircraft. In particular, the oval piece of iron on the left looked like there was a sheet of armor behind the pilot’s back. The dents on it seem to symbolize.

And this is a truck raised from the bottom of the lake.

Closer up.

Another monument on the territory of the museum.

Behind the museum begins a village, the main street of which is also called the Road of Life. I didn’t take a photo, but the village is actually mostly built up with new cottages, many with views of Lake Ladoga. In general, no wonder, the place is good. I would live there myself :) I wonder how much a plot with a view of the lake costs...

The A128 highway runs from St. Petersburg to the village. And it is also called the Road of Life. It begins in St. Petersburg in the Rzhevka area, where it is called Ryabovskoye Highway; runs almost parallel to the Irinovskaya railway through Vsevolozhsk, Borisova Griva, Osinovets/Ladoga Lake; and ends in Morya, a village another five kilometers north of here.

Highway A128 at the exit from the village.

Cape Osinovets is now mostly built up. A little further into the cape there is a lighthouse, now used as a cell phone mast. The lighthouse was built in 1905, it is the second tallest lighthouse on Ladoga. The bay into which the barges entered is located on the other side of the cape (it is poorly visible from the shore). Before the war, it was believed that this bay was completely unsuitable for ships to enter. The war showed that, as they say, if there was a desire...

I probably liked the lighthouse the most. Actually, for the first time in my life I saw a real lighthouse up close. It's a shame we can't climb it now. If you believe the Internet, before it was possible to come to an agreement with the watchman, but now, when antennas have been hung on him, it doesn’t matter. By the way, nearby on the cape there is a recreation center called “Osinovetsky Lighthouse”.

Well, a hundred meters beyond the end of the contact wire the rails end, like a very massive dead-end prism. I'll have to come here again sometime and go further to Morya. They say it's abandoned there military unit There is:)